‘Oh, is it now? You wouldn’t happen to be looking for a certain missing person, would you?’
Anna froze. ‘What do you mean?’
‘You know exactly what I mean. You’re scum.’
‘Excuse me?’
He warmed to his theme. ‘Scum, I said. Going around preying on innocent people. Ruining their lives.’
Anna glared at him. ‘How dare –’
He put his face close to hers. ‘Don’t try and justify yourself to me. I know your type. You’re like a leech, feeding off other people’s misery. That poor girl doesn’t know if she’s coming or going.’
‘But how –’
He leaned on the handlebars of his bicycle. ‘How did I know? I know everything that goes on around here. It’s my business to keep an eye out for unsavoury types like you, coming here trying to force that poor young woman out of hiding. Ruining her life. Why can’t you just let her be? She’s happy up there with Laura Fletcher.’
‘But I’m her –’
‘Stalker. Oh, yes, I know all about you. I had a long chat with her. She told me how you follow her everywhere she goes. She knows that without her you’d be destroyed, you’d be nothing.’
Anna was beginning to panic – how the hell did this man know so much? When had Sophie spoken to him? Why had she told him all this? The whole village would know their secret by lunchtime. ‘I need to speak to Laura Fletcher. It’s urgent.’
‘I’m under strict instructions to say nothing. But I will say this. Laura’s house-guest is a lovely girl. Beautiful, kind, funny, warm and generous, with a body that would make a grown man weep.’
‘Excuse me!’ Anna interrupted.
‘Don’t get all feminist on me now. She’s not a bit shy about showing off her assets. She’s very funny about them – she calls the left one Ernie and the right one Bert.’
‘What?’
‘English girls are less inhibited about their bodies than Irish girls. Much less uptight, fair play to them.’
Was this man really telling her that Sophie had been talking to him about her breasts? Anna was horrified. Laura must have got her drunk or spiked her drink. Sophie would never talk about her breasts to a strange man, or to anyone else for that matter. She was very reserved.
‘She isn’t usually that forthcoming, I can assure you.’
‘Not to you, obviously. Who’d want to tell you anything? You’d just throw it back in her face.’
‘No, I wouldn’t.’
‘Yes, you would. It’s always the same. You draw her out and then you use the information against her.’
‘Look, I don’t know what she told you but I’ve never done anything to hurt her.’
‘Oh, I see. You’re one of the “good” ones, are you? One of the nice ones. Someone she should trust?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘I don’t believe you, and neither does she any more. She’s been hurt too much. Laura told her not to talk to anyone, but she said she was lonely and needed to talk to someone about it all. She said her head is melted and I’m a good listener, so she told me everything. All the sordid details. I have to say I was shocked. I never would have thought anyone capable of such a terrible act.’
Anna’s heart was pounding. ‘What did she tell you?’
‘Playing dumb now, are you? Trying to get me to slip up? I won’t, though. I won’t give the game away. She asked me not to. She’s writing a book about it all.’
‘A book!’ Anna croaked.
The postman grinned. ‘Yes, a tell-all book, leaving no details out. She said it’s going to be sensational.’
Anna thought she might be sick. She ran back to the car where Joe was waiting.
‘What took you so long?’ Joe asked. Then, looking at her, he said, ‘My God, you’re green.’
‘Joe, she’s taken drugs or got really drunk or something. That man said Sophie was writing a book about everything that’s happened and that she was talking to him about her breasts and naming them Ernie and Bert and just being really odd. We have to get her out of there before she’s completely corrupted. Quick, hurry.’
‘Which way?’
‘I don’t know,’ Anna wailed.
‘Stay here. I’ll ask in the local shop.’
Joe went into the small grocery store and came back a minute later. ‘Got it. Up here, left, second right, and it’s down the end of a long lane.’
‘Thanks, Joe.’ Anna went to squeeze his hand, but he placed it on the steering wheel.
Five minutes later they were staring at the house and studio. They had parked a good bit back and walked closer so no one could see them. The house was lovely. It was whitewashed, with blue shutters, and set back from a cliff overlooking the sea. Anna was surprised to see it was so well kept. She had assumed it would be more run-down and tatty-looking.
She and Joe hid behind a large oak tree watching Sophie, Laura and a small blonde woman with big breasts having breakfast outside in the sun.
Sophie looked exhausted. She had black circles under her eyes. Anna longed to rush up and hug her, but Joe held her back. Laura looked completely different from how Anna remembered her. She was young and very beautiful. She was Sophie. It hurt to see how similar they were. Anna’s ulcer flared.
‘They could be twins.’ Joe was amazed at the similarity between birth mother and daughter.
Anna couldn’t hear what they were saying but she watched Sophie talking to Laura and saw the look on Laura’s face. It was the look only a mother can give her own child. She was looking at Sophie as Anna did. She could see the love in Laura’s eyes. The adoration … Anna felt as if her heart was being ripped out. She clutched the tree to stop herself falling. The emotion was too much, too painful.
‘She doesn’t look like a down-and-out alcoholic,’ Joe noted.
‘How can you tell? It’s only ten o’clock in the morning, for goodness’ sake.’
‘Anna, she looks well, healthy, no shakes, no trembling in the hands. She seems perfectly normal –’
‘Stop!’ Anna sobbed. ‘I can’t take it. Sophie’s mine. She’s my baby, not hers. I don’t care how normal she looks. She’s a bad person. I’m Sophie’s mother, not her.’
Joe caught her as she fell. He held her upright as she cried her heart out into his shoulder. ‘Come on, let it out. You need to let go, Anna. How did you keep this to yourself for all these years? The stress of such a secret must have been killing you.’
Anna wiped her eyes and nose. ‘I just blocked it. From the moment I walked off that boat, Sophie was mine. Nobody else’s. I knew I’d done the right thing. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. I know you may think I was mad, Joe, but I did save her – her life was in danger – and I don’t regret it.’
Joe wiped a tear from her cheek. ‘Your ulcer was your body’s way of channelling all the stress, Anna. I wondered why it never cleared up. I understand completely now. Keeping a secret like this is mind-blowing.’
‘I was happy, Joe. Really, truly happy. Sophie did that, she made me happy.’
‘I know.’ Joe nodded. ‘I know she did.’
Anna looked over at the group eating breakfast. Sophie was picking at her food. She could see Laura encouraging her to eat. ‘I have to go to her. I have to explain.’
Joe held her back. ‘Not now. It’s too much for her. If you go in there now, guns blazing, she’ll push you away. Give her a bit more time with Laura. She needs it. Why don’t you leave her a message and tell her you’re in Dublin with me and that you want to meet her to explain everything? Don’t be angry with her. Try to sound calm and reassuring – it’ll make her want to call you back.’
Anna ached to be with Sophie, but she knew Joe was right. If she barged in now, when Sophie was still so angry and raw, she’d make things worse. Besides, she could see now that Sophie was all right. And that was what mattered most.
Anna knew there was nothing she could do – Sophie would freak if she walked in on her now. She had to give
her a little more time and keep the lines of communication open. She rang Sophie’s mobile and watched as Sophie picked it up, looked to see who was calling and flung it back into her bag. Anna saw Laura turn away and smile – the bitch.
She composed herself and left a message for her daughter, trying not to sound desperate: ‘Sophie, it’s Mum. I’m in Dublin. I had to be near you. I’m staying with Joe. Please call me so we can meet up and I can explain this to you. There are two sides to every story and I think you need to hear mine. I miss you. I love you. I’m waiting for you.’
‘Perfect,’ Joe said. ‘No one could resist that. Now, come on, let’s get out of here before someone finds us lurking in the bushes.’
As they turned to go, a man strode across the lawn. He stopped dead in front of Sophie. ‘Jody!’ he shouted, and threw his arms around her.
24.
Laura
Killduf, July 2011
Frank’s shoulders heaved with emotion. Sophie stood awkwardly beside him while he clung to her hand, tears streaming down his face.
Lexie came over, gently pulled him away and led him towards a chair. ‘Come on, Frank, sit yourself down here and catch your breath.’
Frank did so shakily. ‘I’m sorry, it’s just so incredible … Jody … to see you … alive … so beautiful … so like Laura … I just didn’t expect … It’s such a shock … to see you … here …’
‘It’s all right, darlin’ – it’s normal you reactin’ like this. I’ve only known you lot for a few weeks and I’m gobsmacked.’ Lexie patted Frank’s back.
Laura went over to her brother. He sniffled. ‘Who would have thought, Laura? It’s a miracle.’
‘I know.’ She smiled, getting emotional herself. ‘It’s hard to believe. But it’s true, she’s back.’
‘Our little Jody.’ Frank gave Sophie a watery smile.
‘Now, Frank,’ Lexie said, ‘this girl has been brought up as Sophie all her life and I think we should respect that. So why don’t we call her Sophie and make things easier for her? The poor thing’s had a right shock, haven’t you, love?’
Sophie nodded and rubbed her eyes wearily.
Frank coughed and pulled himself together. ‘I apologize, Sophie. I’m not usually an emotional man. It’s just that we all thought you were dead. Well, all of us except Laura. She never gave up hope. She always knew you were alive. And now to have you back, sitting here with us … well, it’s just hard to believe and very, very special.’
‘He’s a good egg, is Frank.’ Lexie winked at Sophie. ‘He’s been really nice to me. As has Laura. They’re a lovely family. You’ll fit right in.’
‘Here you go, Frank.’ Laura handed her brother a cup of coffee. ‘I put three sugars in for shock.’
‘I wish you drank. I could murder a drop of whiskey in this.’
Laura laughed. ‘I’d nearly have one myself!’
‘Do you not drink?’ Sophie asked.
‘I used to, but I gave up after you disappeared.’ Laura kept as close to the truth as she could, but she wasn’t about to admit to her daughter that she had been a drunk and done drugs.
‘I love a drink, me,’ Lexie said. ‘Nothin’ better than a nice glass of Cristal after a hard day.’
Frank laughed. ‘Cristal! Lexie, you’re a true WAG.’
Lexie grinned. ‘Flippin’ right I am. I know how to spend Dougie’s cash, make no mistake. We used to get through cases of the stuff. Oh, we had some wild parties. Do you drink, Sophie?’
Sophie hesitated. ‘Well, not really. I don’t like the taste of wine, but I have had vodka and Coke, which is all right.’
‘You’re better off staying away from it,’ Laura assured her. ‘It can cause terrible problems.’
‘That’s what Mum, I mean Anna, always says.’ Sophie caught herself. ‘She says people behave really badly when they drink too much.’
Laura didn’t want to hear anything that Anna had had to say. Every time she heard her name she wanted to scream. She decided to change the subject and get on to safer ground, away from alcohol. ‘Guess what, Frank? Sophie’s applied to go to art college next year. She’s just finished her A levels.’
‘Like mother, like daughter.’ Frank smiled. ‘That’s fantastic, good for you, Jody – sorry, Sophie. Have you always been interested in art?’
‘Ever since I can remember. I think it’s because I see things as colours.’
‘Of course, you have synaesthesia too.’ Frank remembered her email. ‘How incredible.’
‘I suppose that was where it all started, and then I found that I really enjoyed the subject. Painting is the one time when I completely switch off from the world.’
‘Just like me.’ Laura’s eyes shone.
‘If you’ve got your mum’s talent you’ll be amazin’,’ Lexie enthused.
‘Mum doesn’t paint at all. Oh!’ Sophie went red. ‘Sorry, I …’
‘It’s OK.’ Laura patted her hand. It wasn’t Sophie’s fault. She hoped that in time Sophie would only have one mum in her life – herself. ‘I’m thrilled that you get so much joy from painting. I can honestly say it saved my life. On very bad days, when I missed you so much I could barely function, I’d put on some soothing music and lose myself in my work.’
Sophie smiled. ‘I’m glad you had something to help you. It must have been very hard.’
‘There are no words adequate to describe it,’ Laura said, voice shaking.
‘This woman here is the most incredible human being,’ Frank said to Sophie, clasping Laura’s shoulder. ‘She never gave up hope. She never stopped believing you’d come back one day. Never.’
‘And here you are.’ Laura beamed at Sophie, whose cheeks were flushed. She could tell that all the attention was taking its toll. Sophie was shrinking back into her chair. She needed a break. ‘How’s Mandy?’ she asked Frank, switching topics.
‘She’s fine. I dropped her off at Joan’s on my way here this morning. She knows something’s up but she has no idea what it is.’
‘She’ll get plenty of lyrics out of this story,’ Lexie put in. ‘She’ll be writing songs for weeks.’
‘Is she a musician?’ Sophie asked.
Lexie and Frank roared laughing. ‘She takes it very seriously and she tries hard, but she hasn’t a note in her head,’ Frank said.
‘That’s a bit harsh,’ Laura defended her younger daughter. ‘She’s talented. She just needs more time to find her sound.’
‘And a singer.’ Frank grinned.
‘She needs to tone down them lyrics an’ all. They’re very angry and depressin’,’ Lexie added. ‘Then again, I like Kylie and Girls Aloud. Dougie says my taste in music is crap. He likes 50 Cent and all them rappers. I can’t be dealin’ with all that stuff – it’s too aggressive for me.’
‘What kind of music does Mandy play?’ Sophie wondered.
‘She says she’s a cross between Alanis Morissette, Björk and Nirvana,’ Laura explained.
‘Oh.’ Sophie was lost for words.
‘“Oh” is right,’ Frank agreed. ‘She writes very angry songs about being trapped and feeling suffocated. There’s a lot of shouting and banging on the guitar. It’s not really my kind of thing. I’m more of a Michael Bublé man myself.’
‘I like Lana Del Rey and Adele,’ Laura said.
‘Oh, me too,’ Sophie said. ‘They’re amazing.’
‘Dougie said he thought Rihanna looked like me, only she was black.’
Frank threw his head back and laughed. ‘Good old Dougie. His lines are going to make your book a bestseller.’
‘This book is going to get me into a lot of trouble,’ Lexie observed. ‘I’m not holdin’ back, I’m tellin’ it like it was. I reckon I’ll have to go into that witness protection programme when it hits the bookshops.’
‘You’ll be the toast of London,’ Frank assured her. ‘I guarantee you the Sun will offer us a fortune for the serial rights. It’s all looking good, Lexie, so just keep talking into the tape recor
der.’
‘Keep your hair on. I’m workin’ hard, ain’t I, Laura?’
‘Yes, you are. And remember, Lexie, you can always come back and hide here if it gets too much,’ Laura said. ‘You’re welcome anytime.’
‘Thanks, darlin’. I’d love to.’ Lexie turned to Sophie. ‘This is a great place to chill out and get your head together. You’ll love it here. It’s so peaceful and the view of the ocean would lift the heaviest heart.’
‘That’s why I bought the house,’ Laura mused.
Sophie smiled weakly. Lexie could see she was struggling. ‘You look worn out, darlin’. It’s been hell for you. All this findin’ out you’re not who you thought you was. Do you fancy a little lie-down? Come on, I’ll make you a nice fresh cup of tea and you can have a nap.’
‘You do look tired,’ Laura agreed. ‘Would you like a rest?’
Sophie nodded, looking relieved. ‘Actually, that would be lovely, if you don’t mind?’
‘Of course not, it’s been a crazy few days.’ Laura stood up. ‘I’ll walk you in.’
‘No, darlin’, you sit down there and have a natter with Frank. You two have a lot to talk about. I’ll go in with Sophie. I need to work on my book anyways. See, Frank? I’m not slackin’.’
Laura watched Lexie tottering across the garden on her six-inch wedges, followed by Sophie in flat pumps, head hanging low, deep in thought. ‘Frank, can you believe it?’ Laura said softly.
Frank didn’t reply.
‘Frank!’
‘Sorry – what?’
‘Are you looking at Lexie’s bum?’ Laura slapped his arm.
‘Sorry, but it’s a very pert one,’ he said sheepishly.
‘I’m trying to talk to you about my daughter and how wonderful she is.’
‘She’s incredible. I swear when I first saw her it was like seeing you.’
‘I can’t stop staring at her,’ Laura confessed. ‘The poor thing must be completely overcome.’
‘The amazing thing is that she seems so normal. I know you told me last night that she was very together but I still can’t get over it. Our little Jody has turned into a lovely young woman.’
This Child of Mine Page 24
